Alejandro Posada-Téllez joins expert panel discussion in the Vatican on the role of religious actors in peacemaking

DPhil in International Relations candidate Alejandro Posada-Téllez was recently invited to participate in a panel of experts in the Vatican City on the role of religious actors in peacemaking. 

The panel brought together world-leading scholars and practitioners, including faith leaders, senior diplomats, UN and EU officials, representatives from various state ministries, and NGO directors, for discussions with Vatican authorities. 

We caught up with Alejandro after the event to ask him all about the experience and what it meant to him: 

Can you tell us a bit more about who organised the event? 

The event was organised by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS), the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, and the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). It took place at the Casina Pio IV inside the Vatican Gardens. The workshop brought together scholars, religious leaders, senior diplomats, and peace practitioners for two days of exchange on how religion shapes, and is shaped by, contemporary efforts to prevent and end violent conflict. 

How did you get involved/invited? 

I was invited to speak following the publication of an academic article last year on how secular peacemakers - particularly United Nations mediators - understand and engage with religious actors, norms, identities, and values in contexts of armed conflict. The organisers were looking to include diverse perspectives from researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of religion, diplomacy, and peace mediation, and I suppose my research and profile as an early-career peace scholar aligned with that diversity they bring into this high-level conversation.

Who else was involved in the event? 

Participants included around 20 world-leading scholars, faith leaders, diplomats, UN and EU officials, NGO directors, and Vatican authorities (including the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin). It was a rare and genuinely enriching mix of practitioners, theologians, scholars, and institutional actors. 

How did you feel to be invited to and involved in the event? 

I felt an immense sense of privilege to have been invited to participate in this space. I was by far the youngest participant and the only PhD candidate in a room full of leading experts and practitioners, which made it a deeply stimulating and inspiring experience for me. Overall, I was grateful - and frankly a little awed - for the opportunity to contribute to this high-level conversation and to learn from an incredible group of people who think deeply and work tirelessly to address the political and moral challenges of violent conflict. And to do so in the Vatican City, a space that carries such symbolic weight. 

What was the experience like of participating in the event? Can you tell us more about the discussions that took place? 

The discussions were rich and they reflected the tremendous diversity of perspectives and views present in the room. They were grounded and constructive, with an eye towards bridging the divide between 'thinkers' and 'doers'. We covered a wide range of topics from the role of faith-based actors in efforts to promote peace in war-torn communities to the complexities of interfaith peace initiatives. We sought to challenge the artificial divide between 'religious' and 'secular' mediators, and also sought to draw lessons about the strengths and limits of faith-based peace initiatives in conflict contexts. In the panel I took part in, we explored how secular mediators - by actors like the UN, EU, or certain Western governments - interacts with religious issues, values, actors, and norms. Many sessions focused on questions of legitimacy, trust, and the tensions between moral authority and political neutrality. There were also powerful insights from those working directly in conflict zones, which grounded the theory in practice. 

What was your role in the event?

I spoke in a panel that looked at how secular mediators engage with the religious dimensions of conflict. My intervention drew on my research into UN mediation policy, where I argue that while religion is increasingly acknowledged, it is often treated in narrow, instrumental terms - either as a resource to mobilise communities or as a tool to advance mandates. I spoke about the need for greater 'religious literacy' among mediators: deeper understanding of how religion and politics are intertwined in conflict-affected spaces and how religion shapes political imagination and worldviews in these settings. I also argued for greater reflection and self-awareness on the assumptions, agendas, and narratives that international secular actors bring into peace processes where religion matters to conflict parties. 

What was the most important takeaway message you took from the event? 

For me, the main takeaway was the need for peacemakers to take religion more seriously, not simply as a set of beliefs or community structures, but as a political and moral framework that fundamentally inform how war-torn communities make sense of their everyday experiences. Too often, religion is acknowledged as presence but not engaged as substance. Effective mediation, especially in contexts where religion matters to conflict parties, requires a more nuanced understanding how faith shapes not only conflict but also visions of justice, healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. That means moving beyond just 'religious sensitivity' and towards 'religious literacy'. 

How significant do you think the event was in the current political climate? 

Incredibly significant and timely. At a political moment when violent conflict is intensifying across many regions, and the institutions tasked with managing it are under strain, it felt essential to bring together secular and religious actors for an honest conversation about the urgent need to think more creatively and innovatively about peacemaking, including by interrogating the role that religious actors can play in shaping a more peaceful world. Events like this help to build the intellectual and moral architecture needed for more inclusive, community-led, and reflective peace efforts globally. 

What are you currently working on? 

I am currently nearing the completion of my PhD, which explores how societies confront the legacies of mass violence and the narratives that take shape in the aftermath of war. Drawing on the experiences of transitional justice in Sri Lanka and Colombia, my research focuses on how transitions from conflict can become more responsive to the needs and interests of victims. Alongside this, I continue to write and engage with questions around peace mediation and the role of religion in peace processes.